Stiffener for horse-collars.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT- H, 1914.

F0 1 9 1 3 1 v p A d .W m a P ur NORRIS PETERS Co. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D. c I

THOMAS Q. JONES, 0F TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE.

STIFLEENER FUR HORSE-(DOLLARS.

Application filed September 17, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Q. JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tullahoma, in the county of Coffee and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stiffeners for Horse-Collars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the ac companying drawings.

This invention relates to an attachment for horse collars and particularly to a stillener therefor.

ln horse collars of the usual construction, they are made so'that they open at the top, and in removing a collar from or applying it to the neck, the upper ends of the collar must be spread so that the throat portion thereof is bent, and it frequently occurs that before the material of the collar is worn the throat portion thereof breaks owing to the continual bending.

it is an object of my invention to provide a stiffener or brace which is adapted for engagement around the throat portion of a collar, to prevent the same from breaking.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a stiffener for horse collars which will also protect the collar from wear due to rubbing of the trace chains thereagainst.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device; Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

.teferring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a plate which is bent intermediate of its ends into substantially semi-circular'shape, the plate being adapted for engagement against the outer face of the collar and the intermediate portion of the plate having an opening therein through which a rivet or other similar fastening device may be passed to secure the plate to the throat portion of the collar. Formed in the ends of the plate are longitudinal slots 3, fastening devices being also passed through the slots and through the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr, 13, 1915.

Serial no. 862,225.

sides of the collar to loosely fasten the ends of the plate to the collar. The forward edge of the plate is formed with a backwardly clirected flange i which is spaced from the outer face of the plate, the flange being engaged against the rim of the collar, and being adapted to receive the hames which carry the loggerheads to which the trace chains of the harness are connected. The end portions of the collar at their rear edge are enlarged as at 5, to provide wearing surfaces which extend to the inner edge of the collar, the trace chains which are connected to the loggerheads being adapted to engage against the enlarged portions 5 whereby the trace chains are prevented from causing undue wear upon the material of the collar.

in the practical use of my improved collar stiffener, the plate is rigidly secured to the throat portion of the collar by passing a suitable fastening device through the opening 2 in the intermediate portion of the plate 1 which fastening member extends through the throat portion of the collar, the ends of the plate being loosely connected to the side portions of the collar by passing the fastening devices through the slots 3, so that when the upper end of the collar is opened, the ends of the plate may slide upon the side portions of the collar to prevent bending of the plate against the collar. As the plate 1 is formed of spring metal, it will be seen that the end portions of the plate normally hold the side portions of the collar in closed position, and by the provision of the enlarged portions 5 on the plate undue wear of the logger-heads and trace chains upon the sides of the collar is prevented.

What I claim is:

A stiffener for horse collars comprising a spring metal plate curved intermediate its ends to conform to the contour of a horse collar, the intermediate portion of the plate being arranged to be secured to the throat portion of the collar, the end portions of the plate having longitudinal slots formed therein and for receiving fastening means to be extended through the slots and through the adjacent portion of the collar to loosely connect the end portions of the plate to the collar, the forward edge of the plate having an inturned flange formed thereon adapted to receive the hames of the collar, said flange In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my extending the entire length of the plate and signature in the presence of two witnesses.

the end portions of the plate being enlarged THOMAS Q. JONES. at their inner edge to provide Wearing sur- Witnesses:

5 faces for the trace chains connected to the W. K. BENNETT, hames. J. E. BRANTLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

